Bristol Mayor Hospitalized After Choking On Food

BRISTOL — Mayor Art Ward was hospitalized Saturday evening after choking at dinner, according to people familiar with the situation.

Ward, 63, apparently lost consciousness after choking on food at the Italian Social Club, and reportedly did not respond to initial rescue efforts.

He was taken by ambulance to Bristol Hospital, where at 10 p.m. a nursing supervisor would confirm only that he was receiving emergency treatment. She would not disclose his condition.

City leaders and senior police commanders joined Ward's family at the hospital.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the mayor and his family," said council member Ken Cockayne, who is serving as acting mayor. "We're all hoping for the best. We're hoping for the mayor to be back to work soon."

Ward, a Democrat, is halfway through his second term as mayor in this city of 60,000. In recent weeks, political leaders in Bristol and in Hartford have said that Gov.-elect Dan Malloy is considering Ward for a possible appointment as state commissioner of veterans affairs. Ward has not publicly discussed that.

Ward is a Vietnam War combat veteran who worked as a veterans affairs officer with the state before becoming mayor. Veterans groups, senior citizens and unions are among the groups that back him in every election.

He also served on the city council for 14 years, and is among the best-known politicians in the city. Under his administration, Bristol restarted the downtown revitalization project that had stalled.